Calibration system for simultaneous calibration of multiple motion capture elements

Abstract

A calibration system for simultaneous calibration of multiple motion capture elements (MCEs) of at least one type (accelerometer and/or gyroscope). Includes motion and/or rotational element coupled to a base and configured to move and/or rotate multiple MCEs mounted on a mount in and/or about at least one axis. For one axis movement embodiments, after each motion and/or axial rotation, the motion and/or rotational mount itself is rotated for example manually, so the mount points in a different direction, i.e., the Z axis. In a single axis embodiment, this is performed twice so that each axis of the MCEs experience motion and/or rotation about three axes. The motion capture data is sampled and used in calculation of a 3×3 calibration matrix. The physical format of the motion capture sensors may be any format including chip, memory or SIM card format, PCB format, mobile computers/phones.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A calibration system for simultaneous calibration of multiple motion capture elements comprising:
 a motion element; 
 a base coupled with said motion element wherein said motion element is configured to move in relation to said base; 
 a mount coupled with said motion element and configured to hold a plurality of motion capture elements that comprise at least one sensor configured to capture any combination of one or more values associated with an orientation, position, velocity, acceleration of said plurality of motion capture elements; 
 a computer configured to
 sample motion from said plurality of motion capture elements when said mount is moved in or about or in and about at least one axis; 
 calculate a calibration matrix for each of said plurality of motion capture elements to convert three axes motion capture data into calibrated motion capture data. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein said motion is translational. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1  wherein said motion is rotational. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1  wherein said motion element is configured to rotate about a single axis only. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  wherein said motion element is configured to rotate about two axes. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein said motion element is configured to rotate about three axes. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  wherein said motion element is configured to move in a single axis. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1  wherein said motion element is configured to move in two axes. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1  wherein said motion element is configured to move in three axes. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1  wherein said motion element is configured to rotate about and move in a single axis. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1  wherein said motion element is configured to rotate about and move in at least two axes. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1  wherein said computer is further configured to sample motion from said plurality of motion capture elements when said mount is moved in or about or in and about a second axis substantially orthogonal to said at least one axis. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12  wherein said computer is further configured to sample motion from said plurality of motion capture elements when said mount is moved in or about or in and about a third axis substantially orthogonal to said at least one axis and said second axis. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 1  wherein said mount comprises at least one electrical connection coupled with said mount configured to couple with a motion capture element of said plurality of motion capture elements. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 1  wherein said mount comprises at least one electrical connection coupled with said mount configured to couple with an integrated circuit and wherein said plurality of motion capture elements are in respective integrated circuits. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 1  wherein said mount comprises at least one electrical connection coupled with said mount configured to couple with an SD or SIM card and wherein said plurality of motion capture elements are SD or SIM cards. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 1  wherein said mount comprises at least one electrical connection coupled with said mount configured to couple with a mobile computer or mobile phone and wherein said plurality of motion capture elements reside in respective mobile computers or mobile phones. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 1  wherein said computer is further configured to store said calibration matrix. 
     
     
       19. A calibration system for simultaneous calibration of multiple motion capture elements comprising:
 a motion element; 
 a base coupled with said motion element wherein said motion element is configured to move in relation to said base; 
 a mount coupled with said motion element and configured to hold a plurality of motion capture elements that comprise at least one sensor configured to capture any combination of one or more values associated with an orientation, position, velocity, acceleration of said plurality of motion capture elements and wherein said mount comprises at least one electrical connection coupled with said mount configured to couple with a motion capture element of said plurality of motion capture elements; 
 a computer configured to
 sample motion from said plurality of motion capture elements when said mount is moved in or about or in and about at least one axis; 
 sample motion from said plurality of motion capture elements when said mount is moved in or about or in and about a second axis substantially orthogonal to said at least one axis; 
 sample motion from said plurality of motion capture elements when said mount is moved in or about or in and about a third axis substantially orthogonal to said at least one axis and said second axis; 
 calculate a calibration matrix for each of said plurality of motion capture elements to convert three axes motion capture data into calibrated motion capture data; 
 store said calibration matrix for use with each of said plurality of motion capture elements. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19  wherein said motion element is configured to rotate about a single axis only.